Ranking search results and recommendations

ABSTRACT

When a user selects an item at an online marketplace and subsequently provides a search query to the online marketplace, search results or recommendations received from the online marketplace in response to the search query may be displayed based on whether the search results or recommendations would satisfy a requirement established by a source of the selected item. The requirement may relate to a minimum cost threshold, or a minimum number of items. Any search results or recommendations that would, if selected, cause the requirement to be met or exceeded may be preferentially displayed to the user above, or in a more prominent manner, than search results or recommendations that would not, if selected, cause the requirement to be met or exceeded.

BACKGROUND

Online marketplaces enable customers to search for or browse informationregarding items that are available for purchase from a variety ofsources and in a variety of ways through one or more networked pages orsites. For example, an online marketplace may offer items for sale thatit owns and controls, as well as items that are owned by sellers, viaone or more web pages or web sites. The sellers may elect to eitherdeliver their items to a facility maintained by the online marketplacefor distribution to customers; or maintain control over their itemsthemselves, and cause ordered items to be delivered directly tocustomers who purchased one or more of the items.

When a seller offers items for sale on an online marketplace, the sellermay do so subject to one or more conditions that it may define. Suchconditions may include fees, minimum numbers or costs of itemspurchased, specific delivery times or other prerequisites. Additionally,the seller may establish such conditions based on any relevant factor,including but not limited to the costs that the seller may incur inoffering the items for sale at the online marketplace, minimum ormaximum capacity thresholds, or any other factors.

Recently, online marketplaces have begun to offer enhanced deliveryservices on orders for specific items in selected areas, usually areashaving high population densities or concentrations of retail operationswithin short ranges. In some implementations, an online marketplace mayoffer short-term delivery services for orders of items that the onlinemarketplace owns or controls (e.g., items that the online marketplacestores or possesses within a storage area of one of its warehouses orother storage facilities), or items that the online marketplace knows orbelieves to be reliably available on short notice (e.g., items that theonline marketplace may obtain from one or more merchants within a closeproximity).

In this regard, some online marketplaces are now configured to receiveorders from customers, locate some or all of the items within facilitiesunder their control, or identify one or more merchants having access tosuch items, and dispatch one or more agents or workers to transport theordered items from the facilities or obtain the ordered items from theone or more merchants (e.g., preferably from merchants located along ornear a route between a fulfillment center and a customer who ordered theitems), before delivering the items to the customers who ordered them.In particularly dense environments, with sufficiently large and diverseitem inventories both within online marketplace facilities or via nearbyretailers, an online marketplace may offer delivery services tocustomers within as little as one hour.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A through 1E are views of aspects of one system for rankingsearch results or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of components of one system for ranking searchresults or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of one process for ranking search results orrecommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views of aspects of one system for ranking searchresults or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of one process for ranking search results orrecommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views of aspects of one system for ranking searchresults or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of one process for ranking search results orrecommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of one process for ranking search results orrecommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 9A through 9E are views of aspects of one system for rankingsearch results or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As is set forth in greater detail below, the present disclosure isdirected to displaying information regarding one or more items in aranked format that considers not only attributes of the items and theirrespective relationships with the user but also extrinsic factorspertaining to entities affiliated with each of the items, orrequirements associated with one or more of the entities. Morespecifically, the present disclosure is directed to displaying a list ofsearch results or recommendations, e.g., information regarding one ormore items that are available for purchase at an online marketplace, inresponse to a query provided by a customer, or in response to one ormore actions taken by the customer. The search results orrecommendations may be displayed in the list in a non-traditional rankedformat that considers not only one or more attributes of the searchresults or recommendations, e.g., the prices of items, or theirrelevance to a customer, or the customer's preferences for the searchresults or recommendations, but also extrinsic factors such as deliverycosts, minimum prices, numbers or volumes or thresholds or otherrequirements associated with such search results or recommendations thatmay be assigned by their respective sources.

In this regard, search results or recommendations may be displayed in areprioritized manner based on a global condition of an order for one ormore items, and how the addition of one or more of items associated withsuch search results or recommendations, from any number of sources, mayaffect the global condition of the order. The systems and methods of thepresent disclosure may, therefore, effectively maintain differentvirtual shopping carts for each of the merchants from which a user hasselected items, identify one or more requirements associated with eachof such merchants, determine whether the requirements associated withsuch merchants are met based on the contents of such virtual shoppingcarts, and preferentially display search results or recommendations tothe user in a manner that elevates or otherwise emphasizes itemsassociated with such search results or recommendations that would meetor exceed, or avoid running afoul of, one or more of such requirements.

Referring to FIGS. 1A through 1E, views of one system 100 for rankingsearch results or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure are shown. As is shown in FIG. 1A, the system 100includes a plurality of merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3, a fulfillmentcenter 130, a worker 150 and a customer 170 located near one another.Each of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 has a set of items 126-1,126-2, 126-3 in inventory, and the fulfillment center 130 also has a setof items 133 in inventory. Additionally, the fulfillment center 130 andeach of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 has an associated operationallimit, constraint or other requirement (e.g., a total number or value ofitems selected) that must be met or exceeded in order to execute apurchase through the fulfillment center 130 or the merchants 120-1,120-2, 120-3, or to avoid paying a surcharge or other fee for such apurchase.

The customer 170 is able to place an order 174 at an online marketplaceassociated with the fulfillment center 130, e.g., via a computer devicesuch as a smartphone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, or anyother Internet-enabled device. The order 174 may be fulfilled with itemsthat are maintained within the inventory 133 of the fulfillment center130, or, alternatively, within the inventories 126-1, 126-2, 126-3 ofthe one or more of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3, and subsequentlydelivered to the customer 170 by the worker 150.

Referring to FIGS. 1B through 1E, the customer 170 may place the order174 for a plurality of items via a web site 116 using a smartphone 172.As is shown in FIG. 1B, the customer 170 may provide a search query 102B(viz., “bacon”) to the web site 116, and the search query 102B may beprovided from the smartphone 172 to the online marketplace (not shown)via one or more wired or wireless connections to a network, such as theInternet.

As is shown in FIG. 1C, upon receiving the search query 102B, the onlinemarketplace may return a list of search results 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1,125B-3 identifying items which pertain to the search query 102B that areavailable at either the fulfillment center 130 or accessible to one ormore of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3, and the list of the searchresults 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1, 125B-3 may be displayed on the smartphone172. Because the fulfillment center 130 and each of the merchants 120-1,120-2, 120-3 possesses or has access to items responsive to the searchquery 102B, the search results 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1, 125B-3 identifyitems that are maintained within the inventory 133 of the fulfillmentcenter 130 (viz., search result 135B), and items that are accessible toone or more of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 in their respectiveinventories 126-1, 126-2, 126-3 (viz., search results 125B-1, 125B-2,125B-3, respectively). The search results 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1, 125B-3further include features for adding any of the items associated with therespective search results to a virtual shopping cart, or to otherwiseexecute a purchase for one or more of the items. As is shown in FIG. 1C,the search results 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1, 125B-3 are typically rankedbased on their respective relevance to the search query 102B, on apreference of the customer 170 or one or more like customers, e.g., apreferred source, type or kind of item preferred by the customer 170 orthe one or more like customers, or on a combination of the relevance ofthe search results 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1, 125B-3 to the search query 102Band one or more preferences of the customer 170 or like customers.

Referring to FIGS. 1D and 1E, after the customer 170 selects one or moreof the search results 135B, 125B-2, 125B-1, 125B-3 (viz., the searchresult 125B-2), an item associated with the selected search result125B-2 is added to the virtual shopping cart, and the customer 170 maycontinue to search for additional items based on one or more othersearch queries. As is shown in FIG. 1D, the customer 170 may enter asearch query 102D (viz., “eggs”) at the web site 116, which has beenupdated to reflect an addition of an item associated with the searchresult 125B-2 to the virtual shopping cart. The search query 102D maythen be provided from the smartphone 172 to the online marketplace (notshown). As is shown in FIG. 1E, upon receiving the search query 102D,the online marketplace may return a list of search results 125D-2,125D-1, 125D-3 pertaining to the query 102D. Because each of themerchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 possesses or has access to itemsresponsive to the search query 102D, and the fulfillment center 130 doesnot, the search results 125D-2, 125D-1, 125D-3 identify items that areaccessible to one or more of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 in theirrespective inventories 126-1, 126-2, 126-3 (viz., search results 125D-1,125D-2, 125D-3, respectively).

In accordance with the present disclosure, and as is shown in FIG. 1E,the search results 125D-1, 125D-2, 125D-3 are ranked in an order withrespect to a selection of any of the search results 125D-1, 125D-2,125D-3 that would meet or exceed any requirements established by one ormore of the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3. Such requirements mayinclude, but are not limited to, delivery costs, minimum prices,numbers, volumes or thresholds or other requirements. For example, as isshown in FIG. 1A, the merchant 120-2 has a five dollar ($5) minimumpurchase requirement and, as is shown in FIG. 1C, the customer 170 hasadded the item associated with the search result 125B-2, which has aprice of three dollars ($3), to the virtual shopping cart. Therefore, inorder to meet the minimum purchase requirement associated with themerchant 120-2, from which the customer 170 has already selected anitem, the customer 170 must further add items totaling at least twodollars ($2) in price, in the aggregate.

In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, as isshown in FIG. 1E, the search result 125D-2, which identifies an itemfrom the merchant 120-2 having a price of three dollars ($3), ispreferentially ranked above the search results 125D-1, 125D-3, in thelist of the search results 125D-1, 125D-2, 125D-3 returned to thesmartphone 172 in response to the search query 102D. Even though each ofthe search results 125D-1, 125D-3 identifies items having lower costs(viz., one dollar and two dollars, or $1 and $2, respectively) than theitem identified in the search result 125D-2, the search result 125D-2 ispreferentially ranked above the search results 125D-1, 125D-3 becauseadding the search result 125D-2 to the virtual shopping cart would meetor exceed the minimum purchase requirement of five dollars ($5) set bythe merchant 120-2, and because adding either the search result 125D-1or the search result 125D-3 to the virtual shopping cart would subjectthe customer 170 to the minimum price requirements of ten dollars ($10)and eight dollars ($8) set by the merchant 120-1 and the merchant 120-3,respectively, which would not be met by either addition.

Accordingly, the systems and methods of the present disclosure maypreferentially rank search results identified in response to a searchquery provided by a user based not only on their relevance to the searchquery, or on one or more preferences of the user or like users, but onextrinsic factors or requirements, e.g., limits, restrictions,constraints, prerequisites or other requirements associated with one ormore merchants or other sources of items, and whether a selection of oneor more of the search results would comply with one or more of suchfactors, or meet or exceed one or more of such requirements. Forexample, where one or more items identified in response to a searchquery provided by a customer would, if selected, meet or exceed a pricethreshold or other requirement of a merchant having access to the items,or to other items selected by the customer, such items may be rankedmore highly or emphasized more strongly than other items, including butnot limited to items which would not meet or exceed any relevantrequirements. Likewise, where one or more items identified in responseto the search query would, if selected, cause the customer to run afoulof or not meet or exceed one or more requirements, such items may beranked below or deemphasized with respect to other items, including butnot limited to items which would meet or exceed such requirements.

Similarly, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may alsosurface recommendations of items to a user ranked based not only ontheir relevance to one or more items previously selected by the user, oron one or more preferences of the user or like users, but on extrinsicfactors or requirements, and whether a selection of one or more of therecommended items would comply with one or more of such factors, or meetor exceed one or more of such requirements. The recommendations may beidentified on any basis and in response to any action by a user,including items identified following a prior selection of an item, oritems identified following or during an entry of all or a portion of asearch query (e.g., automatically, as the search query is being enteredinto a text box of a search engine).

Therefore, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, a resultingdisplay of items in response to a search query, or a display ofrecommendations of items, may be defined not only based on the variousattributes of each of the items, or their relation to the user or theuser's preferences, but also based on one or more other considerations,such as whether a selection of the item may satisfy a prerequisitedefined by a source associated with the item (or other items), whetherthe selection of the item may otherwise reduce the overall cost of anorder, or whether the selection of the item may result in an earlierdelivery time. In particular, according to some embodiments of thepresent disclosure, search results associated with items, orrecommendations of items, may be preferentially displayed based onwhether a selection of one or more of the items would satisfy apredetermined prerequisite or threshold, or otherwise avoid resulting inincreased costs, charges or delays. In this regard, the ranked order ofthe items displayed to a user may reflect their true value to thecustomer in a manner that is not apparent in view of the intrinsicattributes of the items, considered individually or collectively, orwithout regard to any requirements established by sources of the items.

Online marketplaces typically maintain networked sites (e.g., web sites)or other online portals that may be used to offer items of any kind forsale to customers. A site or portal maintained by an online marketplacetypically includes one or more interactive features which permitcustomers to search for or browse information regarding any number ofitems, and to execute one or more interactions for ordering one or moreof the items for delivery.

Items that are offered for sale at an online marketplace may originatefrom any number or type of sources, including one or more merchants ofsuch items, or from the online marketplace itself. A merchant may electto make its items available for sale through an online marketplace inany number of ways, and on any terms that may be agreed upon between themerchant and the online marketplace. For example, a merchant may sellitems to the online marketplace directly, either singly or in bulk, fortheir ultimate resale to customers. The online marketplace may thenplace the items in storage, generate one or more interactive networkpages including information regarding the items (e.g., a name and/orimage of an item, a cost of the item, an item number or part number forthe item, dimensions or features of the item, as well as customerratings or reviews of the item), along with features for purchasing theitems (e.g., links, buttons or other features for adding the item to avirtual shopping cart or wish list, for purchasing the items outright,or for recommending the item to one or more friends, family members orcolleagues), and make such “detail” pages available to customers over anetwork, such as the Internet. When a customer places an order for oneof the items through one or more detail pages at the online marketplace,a transaction may be executed between the online marketplace and thecustomer, and the ordered item may be retrieved from storage, preparedfor delivery, and shipped to the customer.

Additionally, the merchant may deliver items to the online marketplaceon consignment, and the items may be placed in a fulfillment center orother designated location or facility under the control of the onlinemarketplace on behalf of the merchant. The online marketplace may thengenerate one or more interactive detail pages for the items, and makesuch detail pages available to customers. When a customer places anorder for one of the items that has been delivered to the onlinemarketplace under consignment, a transaction may be executed between theonline marketplace and the customer. The online marketplace may thenreceive funds from the customer in exchange for the ordered item,retrieve the ordered item from the fulfillment center or otherdesignated location, deliver the ordered item to the customer from thefulfillment center or other designated location to the customer, andremit funds for the purchase of the ordered item to the merchant, lessany applicable service fees or charges that may be due and owing.

Also, a merchant may maintain control over the items that it intends tooffer for sale through the online marketplace, but may merely provideinformation regarding the offered items to the online marketplace. Theonline marketplace may then generate one or more interactive detailpages for the items, and make such detail pages available to customers.When a customer places an order for an item that is held by themerchant, a transaction may be executed between the online marketplaceand the customer. The online marketplace may then receive funds from thecustomer in exchange for the ordered item, and provide informationregarding the customer and the order (e.g., specifications of theordered item and a shipping address or destination for the ordered item)to the merchant, with respect to either an individual order or a numberof orders, along with an instruction to deliver the ordered item to thecustomer. The merchant may then arrange for the delivery of the item toan address or destination specified by the customer, and receive fundsfor the purchase of the ordered item from the online marketplace, lessany applicable service fees or charges that may be due and owing.

A search engine is a computer-based module for retrieving information ordata distributed across a network, e.g., in one or more physical orvirtual data stores. A user may provide a search query comprised of oneor more keywords to a search engine by a browser or other application. Abrowser is designed to receive requests for Internet or network-basedresources from users on a local or client-side device, to transmitrequests for coded information corresponding to the requestednetwork-based resources to a remote or server-side application, toreceive coded information corresponding to the requested resources fromthe remote or server-side applications, and to render the requestedresources on a display screen on the local or client-side device. Otherapplications operating on local or client-side devices may performsimilar functions for searching indexed information in a similar manner.

Thus, when a user provides a search query to a browser or likeapplication operating on a computer device, e.g., by typing the one ormore keywords of the search query into a text box, the browser or likeapplication may receive search results pertaining to the search query,and render one or more of the search results on a display of thecomputer device. Typically, information or data pertaining to searchresults is listed in a ranked order of relevance or priority based on arelationship between each of the search results and the search queryitself, on attributes of a user, or on attributes of a context in whichthe search query is provided, e.g., a time or date on which the searchquery was entered, a location from which the search query was entered, aprior search history of the user, or on any other relevant factor.

A search query may comprise one or more keywords, or individual words orgroupings of alphanumeric characters, as well as strings of multiplewords or groupings of alphanumeric characters that may be separated byspaces, commas, dashes, colons, semicolons, or any other delimiter. Suchkeywords may be used to initiate searches, such as by entering a keywordinto a search engine on a browser, or by selecting a keyword from alist, such as an online catalog. For example, the entry or selection ofthe keyword “boat” may return a different set of results than the entryor selection of the keyword “boat shoes,” “gravy boat,” or “RyanBoatright.” Additionally, a keyword can refer to a particular category(such as “snow blower” or “sports”), brand (such as “Goodyear”), ortheme (such as “April Fool's Day”), either specifically or generally,and may also refer to one or more particular items (such as “WeberGenesis gas grill”).

Search engines may be provided for general purposes, e.g., to returninformation or data pertaining to a search query from a broad network orsystem, or for one or more specific or targeted purposes. Commonly, anonline marketplace may provide customers with a number of features thatmay be used to search or browse for items of interest, including one ormore search engines which permit customers to perform keyword-basedsearches of an online catalog of items, or an array of selectable linksor features, which permit customers to browse for items in one or morecategories or groups. An entry of a search query into a search engineprovided by an online marketplace, or a selection of a keyword-basedcategory associated with the online marketplace, causes a display of anordered list of items identified based on the entered search query or inthe selected category.

The ordered list may include one or more interactive features or linkedelements that may be selected in order to obtain additional informationor data regarding one or more of the items, in the form of a detailspage. Such details pages may include one or more features for reviewinginformation regarding an item, for adding the item to a virtual“shopping cart,” for placing the item on a registry or “wish list,” forpurchasing the item outright, or taking any other action with regard tothe item. The detail page may include text, images or multimediaregarding the item, rankings or reviews of the item (which may bequalitative or quantitative in nature, and may be provided anonymouslyor with names of respective reviewers), as well as links to “chat rooms”or discussion forums, and may be linked or associated with one or moresocial networks or external sites or platforms. The detail page may alsoprovide one or more selectable or adjustable features (e.g., radiobuttons, drop-down menus or text boxes) that permit a customer tospecify any attributes of a desired item (e.g., sizes, colors, models oraccessories).

In particular, detail pages may also include advertisements for otherrecommended items that may complement or act as substitutes for an item.Such recommended items may be identified based on a searching, browsingor purchasing history of a user who provided a search query to theonline marketplace, or on any known interests or attributes of the user.Alternatively, such recommended items may be identified based onsearching, browsing or purchasing histories of other users who may haveinterests or attributes that are similar to those of the user whoprovided the search query, or on any other relevant factors. Forexample, some recommendations of items are substitutable items, e.g.,items that may act as a substitute or replacement for one or more itemspreviously reviewed or evaluated by the user, or one or more itemspreviously selected and added to a virtual shopping cart by the user.Some other recommendations of items may be complementary items, e.g.,items such as accessories or aids that may complement one or more itemspreviously reviewed or evaluated by the user, or one or more itemspreviously selected and added to a virtual shopping cart by the user. Alist of recommendations displayed to a user may include substitutableitems, complementary items, or both substitutable and complementaryitems.

Therefore, when visiting an online marketplace, a customer may executeany number of interactions with one or more web pages associated withthe online marketplace, including web pages that are intrinsic to theonline marketplace or web pages that may be hosted externally, such asby searching for items made available thereon by the owners or operatorsof the online marketplace or by one or more independent merchants,through the entry of any number of keywords into a search engine, or bybrowsing for items that have been designated and sorted into any numberof categories. A customer may further select and view any number of itemdetail pages, read or provide any number of customer reviews or ratingsof items, view any number of images of items (e.g., zoom or pan suchimages, or select alternate images or views of the item). Additionally,a customer may traverse through any amount or extent of one or more itemdetail pages or results lists, including information displayed in a top,bottom, or intermediate portion of such pages.

The efficiency with which customers may identify, evaluate and purchaseitems by way of an online marketplace, and have such items delivered todestinations of their choice, has rapidly improved in recent times.Currently, some online marketplaces, e.g., online marketplaces havingfulfillment and distribution facilities in dense environments which mayalso feature large numbers of merchants, offer enhanced deliveryoptions, such as same-day or Sunday delivery options, of some selectitems that are or may be expected to be available at short notice withinclose proximity to customers.

The systems and methods of the present disclosure are directed toranking items in a list based on factors associated not with the itemsthemselves, or a user who requested the list of items, but with sourcesor other entities associated with each of the items. For example, wherea source of an item places a restriction on the item or on transactionsinvolving the item (e.g., a minimum number of items to be purchased or aminimum total cost of such transactions), some embodiments of thesystems and methods of the present disclosure may cause the item to beranked above or below other items, or more prominently or lessprominently than such other items, in a list of items displayedfollowing an entry of a keyword or other search query into a searchengine by a user or a selection of a keyword or other featurecorresponding to a category by the user, or a list of recommendations ofitems displayed to the user, where a selection of the item would meet orexceed the restriction, or where the selection of the item would runafoul of or otherwise fail to meet or exceed the restriction.

The present disclosure thus effectively enables an online marketplace todefine discrete virtual shopping carts for each of a plurality ofmerchants offering items at an online marketplace, and to determinewhether any requirements associated with the purchase of items from suchmerchants may exist. Such virtual shopping carts may be maintainedinvisibly or otherwise beyond the purview of a customer, and monitoredor tracked by the online marketplace with respect to each order placedby the customer. If a merchant sets a requirement (e.g., a minimumnumber or value of goods that must be purchased from the merchant in theabstract, or to avoid a delivery fee or other surcharge that may beassessed against a customer), then the systems and methods of thepresent disclosure may track the status of an order with respect to therequirement, and preferentially display items in a list that would meetor exceed the requirement, or otherwise avoid running afoul of therequirement.

The display of search results or recommendations in accordance with thepresent disclosure may be based on or driven by one or more rules whichidentify and consider attributes of items and, based on such attributes,determine whether a selection of one or more of such items would satisfya requirement established by a source associated with such items. Inthis regard, the systems and methods of the present disclosure enablesearch results or recommendations to be ranked and displayed at a moregranular, merchant-based level, based on the status of a customer'sorder, e.g., a number and aggregate cost of the items included in theorder, with respect to one or more of the merchants. For example, a listof items identified in response to a query provided by a user orrecommendations of items may be initially ranked in a traditionalmanner, e.g., based on the relevance of such results or recommendationsto the query, to a previous selection of or interest in an item, or tothe preferences of the user, in accordance with the present disclosure.In some embodiments, where a customer at an online marketplace enters afirst search query or selects a first category of items, the onlinemarketplace may display items responsive to the first search query or inthe first category based on their respective relation to the firstsearch query or their prominence within the first category, as well asthe preferences of the customer or of like customers (e.g., othercustomers who have previously purchased the same items as the customer,or similar items, from the online marketplace).

For example, if two or more items have equal relevance to a query or toan item or other basis on which a recommendation is identified, then theitems may be ranked according to a series of discrete rules. First, ifany of the items identified is offered by a merchant from whom thecustomer has already selected one or more items, such items are rankedat a top of the list. Next, if two or more of the items ranked at thetop of the list, e.g., items offered by merchants from whom the customerhas already selected one or more items, have equal relevance, such itemsmay be ranked as a function of their respective prices, based on howclose a selection of the item will bring the customer to one or morerequirements (e.g., minimum price requirements) set by each of themerchants. If two or more items ranked at the top of the list will bringthe customer equally close to one or more requirements set by suchmerchants, then the item having the lowest price may be ranked firstamong such items. If two or more of such items have equally low prices,then the items may be ranked according to any other factor, e.g.,alphabetically or on any other basis.

After a customer has selected one or more items, and subsequently entersa second search query or selects a second category, the onlinemarketplace may display items responsive to the second search query orin the second category in a preferential manner that elevates oremphasizes items which would, if selected, meet or exceed requirementsestablished by the merchants who offer the items previously selected bythe customer for sale at the online marketplace, or would avoid runningafoul of one or more other requirements established by such merchants.Alternatively, after the customer has selected one or more items, a listof recommended items may be displayed to the user in a preferentialmanner that elevates or emphasizes recommended items which would, ifselected, meet or exceed requirements established by the merchants whooffer the items previously selected by the customer for sale at theonline marketplace, or would avoid running afoul of one or more otherrequirements established by such merchants.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, after one ormore items has been selected by a customer, e.g., following the entry ofa search query, or the selection of a category by the customer, and alist of other items is displayed to or requested by the customer, e.g.,based on the items selected by the customer, or following the entry ofanother search query or another selection of a category by the customer,the list of other items may be preferentially ranked and displayed to auser in a manner that elevates or emphasizes items which would meet orexceed any requirements associated with merchants of the previouslyselected items, or avoid running afoul of any requirements associatedwith such items or such merchants.

According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, itemsthat would meet or exceed a relevant requirement, e.g., a minimum costrequirement or threshold, associated with a merchant of one or morepreviously selected items may be preferentially ranked first in a listof items responsive to a search query or within a selected category.Thereafter, items which would most closely approach the requirement,e.g., items having costs which would come closest to meeting orexceeding the minimum cost requirement, or items offered by othermerchants for which all relevant requirements have been met or exceeded,may be ranked next in the list. Finally, items available from othermerchants, or items related to other search queries or in othercategories, may be ranked next in the list.

According to still other embodiments of the present disclosure, itemsthat would correspond to a requirement that has already been satisfied,e.g., items offered by a merchant for which a minimum cost threshold hasalready been met or exceeded, may be preferentially ranked and displayedto a user in a manner that elevates or emphasizes such items as comparedto items offered by merchants for which a requirement has not beensatisfied, or items that would, if selected, create or exacerbate anissue with respect to one or more requirements, e.g., items offered bymerchants for which minimum cost thresholds have not been met.

According to yet other embodiments of the present disclosure, after afirst item offered by a first merchant is selected by a customer, and asecond item offered by a second merchant is selected by the customer,the systems and methods of the present disclosure may determine whetherthe first item is available from the second merchant, and whether acombination of the first item and the second item would, if purchasedfrom the second merchant, meet or exceed a requirement of the secondmerchant. If the requirement of the second merchant would be met bypurchasing the first item and the second item together from the secondmerchant, the customer may be prompted to indicate whether he or she iswilling to do so, or whether the customer intends to purchase the firstitem and the second item from the first merchant and the secondmerchant, respectively. The evaluation of the contents of an order maycontinue, on an iterative basis, with each respective selection of anitem, and with regard to all or a portion of the items in the order.

Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram of components of one system 200 forranking search results or recommendations in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure is shown. The system 200 includes amarketplace 210, a plurality of merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3, afulfillment center 230, a worker 250 and a customer 270 that areconnected to one another across a network 280, such as the Internet.Except where otherwise noted, reference numerals preceded by the number“2” shown in FIG. 2 indicate components or features that are similar tocomponents or features having reference numerals preceded by the number“1” shown in FIGS. 1A through 1E.

The marketplace 210 may be any entity or individual that wishes to makeitems from a variety of sources (e.g., manufacturers, merchants, sellersor vendors) available for download, purchase, rent, lease or borrowingby customers using a networked computer infrastructure, including one ormore physical computer servers 212 and data stores (e.g., databases) 214for hosting a web site 216 or other network site. The marketplace 210may be physically or virtually associated with one or more storage ordistribution facilities, including but not limited to the fulfillmentcenter 230. The web site 216 may be implemented using the one or moreservers 212, which connect or otherwise communicate with the one or moredata stores 214 as well as the network 280, as indicated by line 218,through the sending and receiving of digital data. The servers 212 maycause the display of information associated with the web site 216 in anymanner, e.g., by transmitting code such as Hypertext Markup Language(HTML), over the network 280 to another computing device that may beconfigured to generate and render the information into one or more pagesand to display such pages on a computer display of any kind. Moreover,the data store 214 may include any type of information regarding itemsthat have been made available for sale through the marketplace 210, orordered by customers from the marketplace 210.

The merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3 may be any entities or individualsthat intend to make one or more items available to customers, such asthe customer 270, by way of the marketplace 210. The merchants 220-1,220-2, 220-3 may operate one or more order processing and/orcommunication systems using a computer device 222-1, 222-2, 222-3 (e.g.,a mobile computing device such as a tablet computer, a smartphone or alaptop computer, as well as a desktop computer or any other type or formof computing device) and/or software applications such as a browser224-1, 224-2, 224-3, which may be implemented through one or morecomputing machines that may be connected to the network 280, as isindicated by lines 228-1, 228-2, 228-3, in order to transmit or receiveinformation regarding one or more items to be made available at themarketplace 210, in the form of digital or analog data, or for any otherpurpose. The merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3 each have access to inventory226-1, 226-2, 226-3, which may include items that may also be obtainedfrom other sources, or items that are exclusively available through oneof the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3.

The merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3 may cause one or more items to bedelivered to one or more designated facilities maintained by or onbehalf of the marketplace 210, such as the fulfillment center 230, ormay be instructed to deliver one or more items to the customer 270 orother destinations (not shown). Additionally, the merchants 220-1,220-2, 220-3 may receive one or more items from other manufacturers,merchants, sellers or vendors (not shown), and may deliver one or moreof such items to locations designated by the marketplace 210, e.g., thefulfillment center 230, for fulfillment and distribution to customers.Furthermore, the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3 may individually orcollectively perform multiple functions. For example, the merchants220-1, 220-2, 220-3 may also be manufacturers, sellers or vendors of oneor more other items, and may also offer items for purchase by customersat venues (not shown) other than the marketplace 210. Items that aremade available at the marketplace 210 or ordered therefrom by customersmay be made by or obtained from one or more third party sources, otherthan the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3, or from any other sources (notshown). Moreover, the marketplace 210 itself may be, or be operated by,a manufacturer, a merchant, a seller or a vendor.

The fulfillment center 230 may be any facility that is adapted toreceive, store, process and/or distribute items on behalf of themarketplace 210. As is shown in FIG. 2, the fulfillment center 230includes a networked computer infrastructure for performing variouscomputer-related functions associated with the receipt, storage,processing and distribution of such items, including one or morephysical computer servers 232, data stores (e.g., databases) 234 andprocessors 236, that may be provided in the same physical location asthe fulfillment center 210, or in one or more alternate or virtuallocations, e.g., in a “cloud”-based environment. The fulfillment center230 may also include stations for receiving, storing and distributingitems to customers, such as one or more receiving stations 231, storageareas 233 and distribution stations 235. The fulfillment center 230 mayalso include any number of workers or other designated personnel taskedwith performing one or more tasks within the fulfillment center 230,e.g., by handling or transporting items within the fulfillment center230, or operating one or more pieces of equipment therein.

The fulfillment center 230 may operate one or more order processingand/or communication systems using computer devices in communicationwith one or more of the server 232, the data store 234 and/or theprocessor 236, or through one or more other computing devices ormachines that may be connected to the network 280, as is indicated byline 238, in order to transmit or receive information in the form ofdigital or analog data, or for any other purpose. Such computer devicesmay also operate or provide access to one or more reporting systems forreceiving or displaying information or data regarding workflowoperations, and may provide one or more interfaces for receivinginteractions (e.g., text, numeric entries or selections) from one ormore operators, users or workers in response to such information ordata. Such computer devices may be general purpose devices or machines,or dedicated devices or machines that feature any form of input and/oroutput peripherals such as scanners, readers, keyboards, keypads,touchscreens or like devices, and may further operate or provide accessto one or more engines for analyzing the information or data regardingthe workflow operations, or the interactions received from the one ormore operators, users or workers.

Additionally, as is discussed above, the fulfillment center 230 mayinclude one or more receiving stations 231 featuring any apparatusesthat may be required in order to receive shipments of items at thefulfillment center 230 from one or more sources and/or through one ormore channels, including but not limited to docks, lifts, cranes, jacks,belts or other conveying apparatuses for obtaining items and/orshipments of items from carriers such as cars, trucks, trailers, freightcars, container ships or cargo aircraft (e.g., manned aircraft orunmanned aircraft, such as drones), and preparing such items for storageor distribution to customers. The fulfillment center 230 may alsoinclude one or more predefined two-dimensional or three-dimensionalstorage areas 233 including facilities for accommodating items and/orcontainers of such items, such as aisles, rows, bays, shelves, slots,bins, racks, tiers, bars, hooks, cubbies or other like storage means, orany other appropriate regions or stations. The fulfillment center 230may further include one or more distribution stations 235 where itemsthat have been retrieved from a designated storage area may beevaluated, prepared and packed for delivery from the fulfillment center230 to addresses, locations or destinations specified by customers, alsoby way of carriers such as cars, trucks, trailers, freight cars,container ships or cargo aircraft (e.g., manned aircraft or unmannedaircraft, such as drones).

Moreover, the fulfillment center 230 may further include one or morecontrol systems that may generate instructions for conducting operationsat the fulfillment center 230, and may be in communication with one ormore workers, or the various storage facilities and other components ofthe fulfillment center 230. Such control systems may also be associatedwith one or more other computing devices or machines, and maycommunicate with the marketplace 210, the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3or the customer 270 over the network 280, as indicated by line 238,through the sending and receiving of digital data.

The worker 250 may be any designated personnel directed to perform oneor more tasks associated with the online marketplace 210 and/or thefulfillment center 230. The worker 250 may handle or transport itemswithin the fulfillment center 230, or operate one or more pieces ofequipment therein, e.g., to receive, store, process and/or distributeitems within the fulfillment center 230. For example, the worker 250 mayalso operate one or more specific computing devices for registering thereceipt, retrieval, transportation or storage of items within thefulfillment center 230, or a general purpose device such as a personaldigital assistant, a digital media player, a smartphone, a handheldcomputer device, a tablet computer, a desktop computer or a laptopcomputer (not shown), which may be associated with the server 232, thedata store 234 or the processor 236, or with one or more externalcomputer devices that may be accessed via the network 280.

The worker 250 may also handle or transport items associated with one ormore of the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3. For example, the worker 250may retrieve one or more items from the storage area 233 or thedistribution station 235 and deliver such items to an intendeddestination, such as the customer 270. Additionally, the worker 250 maytravel to one or more of the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3 to retrieveone or more items therefrom, and travel with such items to an intendeddestination, such as the customer 270. Those of ordinary skill in thepertinent arts will recognize that the worker 250 may retrieve itemsfrom multiple sources and deliver such items to an intended destination,such as the customer 270. For example, referring again to FIG. 1A, theworker 150 may retrieve items from one or more of the fulfillment center130 or the merchants 120-1, 120-2, 120-3 and deliver such items to thecustomer 170. Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will furtherrecognize that the worker 250 may travel by any means in accordance withhis or her duties. For example, the worker 250 may travel not only onfoot but also by bicycle, car, truck, boat or aircraft, or any othertype or form of vehicle (e.g., a personal transporter).

The customer 270 may be any entity or individual that wishes todownload, purchase, rent, lease, borrow or otherwise obtain items (e.g.,goods, products, services or information of any type or form) from themarketplace 210. The customer 270 may utilize one or more computingdevices, such as a smartphone 272 or any other like machine that mayoperate or access one or more software applications, such as a browser(not shown) or a shopping application 274, and may be connected to orotherwise communicate with the marketplace 210, the merchants 220-1,220-2, 220-3 or the fulfillment center 230 through the network 280, asindicated by line 278, by the transmission and receipt of digital data.Moreover, the customer 270 may also receive deliveries or shipments ofone or more items from facilities maintained by or on behalf of themarketplace 210, such as the fulfillment center 230, or from themerchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3, e.g., by the worker 250.

The computers, servers, devices and the like described herein have thenecessary electronics, software, memory, storage, databases, firmware,logic/state machines, microprocessors, communication links, displays orother visual or audio user interfaces, printing devices, and any otherinput/output interfaces to provide any of the functions or servicesdescribed herein and/or achieve the results described herein. Also,those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that usersof such computers, servers, devices and the like may operate a keyboard,keypad, mouse, stylus, touchscreen, or other device (not shown) ormethod (e.g., speech recognition or gesture recognition devices ortechniques) to interact with the computers, servers, devices and thelike, or to “select” an item, link, node, hub or any other aspect of thepresent disclosure.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will understand thatprocess steps described herein as being performed by a “marketplace,” a“merchant,” a “fulfillment center,” a “worker” or a “customer,” or liketerms, may be automated steps performed by their respective computersystems, or implemented within software modules (or computer programs)executed by one or more general purpose computers. Moreover, those ofordinary skill in the pertinent arts would recognize that references toprocess steps or actions described herein as being performed by orrelating to a “merchant” could also be performed by or relate to amanufacturer, a seller, a vendor or another source of items. Those ofordinary skill in the pertinent arts would also recognize that processsteps described as being performed by a “marketplace,” a “merchant,” a“fulfillment center,” a “worker” or a “customer” may be typicallyperformed by a human operator, but could, alternatively, be performed byan automated agent.

The marketplace 210, the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3, the fulfillmentcenter 230 and/or the customer 270 may use any web-enabled or Internetapplications or features, or any other client-server applications orfeatures including electronic mail (or E-mail), or other messagingtechniques, to connect to the network 280 or to communicate with oneanother, such as through short or multimedia messaging service (SMS orMMS) text messages. For example, the server 232 may be adapted totransmit information or data in the form of synchronous or asynchronousmessages from the fulfillment center 230 to the server 212, the computerdevice 222-1, 222-2, 222-3, the smartphone 272 or any other computerdevice in real time or in near-real time, or in one or more offlineprocesses, via the network 280. Those of ordinary skill in the pertinentarts would recognize that the marketplace 210, the merchants 220-1,220-2, 220-3, the fulfillment center 230 or the customer 270 may operateany of a number of computing devices that are capable of communicatingover the network, including but not limited to set-top boxes, personaldigital assistants, digital media players, web pads, laptop computers,desktop computers, electronic book readers, and the like. The protocolsand components for providing communication between such devices are wellknown to those skilled in the art of computer communications and neednot be described in more detail herein.

The data and/or computer executable instructions, programs, firmware,software and the like (also referred to herein as “computer executable”components) described herein may be stored on a computer-readable mediumthat is within or accessible by computers or computer components such asthe server 212, the computer device 222-1, 222-2, 222-3, the server 232,or the smartphone 272, or any other computers or control systemsutilized by the marketplace 210, the merchants 220-1, 220-2, 220-3, thefulfillment center 230 or the customer 270 and having sequences ofinstructions which, when executed by a processor (e.g., a centralprocessing unit, or “CPU”), cause the processor to perform all or aportion of the functions, services and/or methods described herein. Suchcomputer executable instructions, programs, software and the like may beloaded into the memory of one or more computers using a drive mechanismassociated with the computer readable medium, such as a floppy drive,CD-ROM drive, DVD-ROM drive, network interface, or the like, or viaexternal connections.

Some embodiments of the systems and methods of the present disclosuremay also be provided as a computer executable program product includinga non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereoninstructions (in compressed or uncompressed form) that may be used toprogram a computer (or other electronic device) to perform processes ormethods described herein. The machine-readable storage medium mayinclude, but is not limited to, hard drives, floppy diskettes, opticaldisks, CD-ROMs, DVDs, ROMs, RAMs, erasable programmable ROMs (“EPROM”),electrically erasable programmable ROMs (“EEPROM”), flash memory,magnetic or optical cards, solid-state memory devices, or other types ofmedia/machine-readable medium that may be suitable for storingelectronic instructions. Further, embodiments may also be provided as acomputer executable program product that includes a transitorymachine-readable signal (in compressed or uncompressed form). Examplesof machine-readable signals, whether modulated using a carrier or not,may include, but are not limited to, signals that a computer system ormachine hosting or running a computer program can be configured toaccess, or including signals that may be downloaded through the Internetor other networks.

Although some of the embodiments disclosed herein reference the rankingof search results in response to search queries provided to an onlinemarketplace, e.g., a search for items relating to a keyword, or aselection of a category of items, and the display of ordered lists ofinformation or data regarding items relating to the keyword or in thecategory, those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognizethat the systems and methods disclosed herein are not so limited.Rather, the ranking of search results in accordance with the presentdisclosure may be utilized in connection with any entry of any searchquery to any search engine, and the resulting identification and displayof search results pertaining to the search query, or the selection ofany category or group, and the resulting identification or display ofinformation or data in any category or group, in accordance with thepresent disclosure. Moreover, some of the embodiments disclosed hereinmay be used to rank lists of recommended items identified on any basis,including but not limited to the relevance of such recommended items toone or more other items selected by a user, or preferences of the useror of other, like users.

As is discussed above, some embodiments of the present disclosure aredirected to receiving search queries or selections of categories fromusers, obtaining and displaying search results based on such queries orcategories, receiving selections of one or more of the search resultsfrom users, receiving further search queries or selections of categoriesfrom users, obtaining further search results in response to such searchqueries or categories, and displaying information associated with thesearch results with in a preferentially ranked order corresponding toextrinsic factors, such as requirements associated with respectivesources or entities associated with the search results. Referring toFIG. 3, a flow chart 300 representing one process for ranking searchresults or recommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure is shown.

At box 310, a first search query is received from a customer. The firstsearch query may include one or more keywords pertaining to itemsavailable from an online marketplace. Alternatively, the customer mayselect a first category, e.g., from a list of hyperlinked elements or adrop-down menu. At box 320, a plurality of items is identified inresponse to the first search query. The items may relate directly to theone or more keywords of the first search query or to one or moresynonyms or related terms associated with such keywords. Alternatively,the items may be in the first category selected by the customer.

At box 325, a first list of the items identified at box 320 may begenerated and ranked based at least in part on their relevance to thefirst search query, or a preference of the customer, and at box 330, thefirst list of items is returned to the customer in response to the firstsearch query. For example, where the customer enters a keyword of“fishing rods” at an online marketplace, and a plurality of itemsrelating to “fishing rods” is identified (e.g., not only fishing rodsbut also reels, tackle boxes, bait or other fishing accessories) by theonline marketplace, the items may be ranked based on their associationor relation to the keyword “fishing rods” (e.g., with more popularfishing rods ranked first, followed by less popular fishing rods, aswell as fishing rod accessories such as replacement reels, fishing line,hooks and the like), or on the preferences of the customer (e.g., wherethe customer is known to prefer certain brands, colors, makes or modelsof fishing rods or of other items, fishing rods or accessories havingsuch brands, colors, makes or models may be ranked above fishing rods oraccessories of other brands, colors, makes or models) or preferences oflike customers (e.g., other customers who have purchased the same items,or similar items, as the customer), or a combination of the associationor relation of the items to the keywords and the preferences of thecustomer or of like customers.

At box 335, a selection of a first item in the first list is receivedfrom the customer, and at box 340, the first item is added to a virtualshopping cart on behalf of the customer. For example, referring again toFIGS. 1C and 1D, a selection of the search result 125B-2 displayed onthe smartphone 172 shown in FIG. 1C results in an addition of an itemassociated with the search result 125B-2 (viz., bacon, 16 oz., thin cut)to the virtual shopping cart of the customer. At box 345, a source ofthe first item is identified. The source of the first item may be afulfillment center operated by an online marketplace, or a manufacturer,a merchant, a seller or a vendor, or any other source that may own,control, possess or have access to one or more of the first item.

At box 350, a second search query is received from the customer. Thesecond search query may include a different keyword, or the samekeyword, that was included in the first search query. Alternatively, aselection of a second category may be received from the customer. At box360, a plurality of items is identified in response to the second searchquery. The items may relate directly to one or more keywords included inthe second search query, or to one or more synonyms or related termsassociated with such keywords. Alternatively, the items may be in thesecond category selected by the customer.

At box 365, a second list of the items identified at box 360 may begenerated and ranked based at least in part on one or more requirementsassociated with the source of the first item. Where the source of thefirst item is a merchant having a predetermined minimum price or volumethreshold associated with the sale of items at the online marketplace,the threshold may serve as a basis for ranking the second list of items.For example, where the merchant will levy a surcharge or other fee onorders below a predetermined threshold, the second list of items willrank items from the merchant having prices which, if selected, willcause the total value of the order to exceed the predetermined thresholdabove other items from the merchant, or items from other merchants.Alternatively, where none of the items identified at box 360 would, ifselected, cause the total value of the order to exceed the predeterminedthreshold, the items from the merchant having prices which would causethe total value of the order to most closely approach the predeterminedthreshold are ranked above other items from the merchant or items fromother merchants. For example, the items may be ranked based first ontheir relevance to a query or a previously selected item, or on apreference of the customer (e.g., a preferred brand), and next onwhether the items are provided by a merchant from which the customer hasalready selected another item, as well as the prices of the respectiveitems (e.g., a lowest cost item that would exceed a relevant requirementof a merchant, or how closely the total value of the order will approachthe predetermined threshold if an item is selected), or on any otherrelevant basis. At box 370, the second list of the items is displayed tothe customer in the ranked order, and the process ends.

Accordingly, the systems and methods of the present disclosure mayconsider external factors, such as requirements set by sources of itemspreviously selected by a user, when ranking items in response to asearch query or a selection of a category, and displaying the items tothe user. Such external factors may be the primary basis for ranking theitems, or, alternatively, may augment systems and methods for rankingitems according to other factors, including but not limited to therelevance of the items to a search query, or the preferences of acustomer who provided the search query, or like customers.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, one example of the preferential ranking ofitems in response to a search query received from a customer based onrequirements established by a source of one or more other items selectedby the customer is shown. As is shown in FIG. 4A, the customer provideda first search query of “hammer” to a search engine, and selected atwenty-ounce wooden claw hammer having a fiberglass handle offered by amerchant (viz., Merchant A) at a price of $11.99 for addition to avirtual shopping cart. As is shown in FIG. 4A, the merchant has apredetermined set of limits, including a minimum number of items to bepurchased (viz., two), and a minimum order price (viz., twenty dollars,or $20).

Subsequently, after selecting the item in response to the first searchquery, the customer enters a second search query of “nails” at thesearch engine. As is shown in FIG. 4A, a raw list 430 of items 440, 442,444, 446, 448, 450, 452, 454, 456, 458, 460, 462, 464, 466, 468 isidentified based on the second search query 420. The list 430 includesitems from a variety of merchants (viz., Merchant A, Merchant B andMerchant C) that are available at prices ranging from $2.49 to $26.59,and the items are ranked based on their relation to the second searchquery 420, or the word “nails,” and to the item (viz., the twenty-ouncewooden claw hammer having a fiberglass handle) previously selected bythe customer. For example, items 440, 442, 444, 446, 448, 450, 452, 454,456, 458 are actual nails of varying types (e.g., hanger nails, duplexnails, floor nails, spike nails, brad nails, sinker nails, roofingnails, finishing nails or framing nails) that may be physically struckby the item previously selected by the customer. Additionally, item 460is a liquid adhesive substitute for a nail, while item 462 is a bookwhich includes the word “nail” in its title, and items 464, 466, 468relate to providing care to nails, e.g., the hardened protein coveringsof tips of human fingers or toes.

As is discussed above, in accordance with the present disclosure, listsof items identified at the request of a customer, such as the list 430,may be preferentially ranked based not only on their relevance to asearch query provided by a customer, or to the preferences of thecustomer or like customers, but also on their relationship with a sourceof an item previously selected by the customer, such as the itempreviously selected by the customer, or with regard to one or more otherextrinsic factors. Referring to FIG. 4B, a preferentially ranked list435 of the items 440, 442, 444, 446, 448, 450, 452, 454, 456, 458, 460,462, 464, 466, 468 included in the raw list 430 of FIG. 4A is shown.

As is shown in FIG. 4B, the five items 448, 458, 462, 466, 454 that arealso offered for sale by the merchant are ranked highest in the list435. For example, in order to satisfy the limits defined by the merchantthat offered the item previously selected by the customer, viz.,Merchant A, the customer will have to select one or more items from themerchant having an aggregate value of at least $8.01, or a differencebetween the price of the item previously selected by the customer andthe twenty dollar minimum price limit for the merchant. Accordingly,items 448, 458, 462, each of which has a price above $8.01, are shown asranking highly in the list 435. Item 448 is ranked above item 458 anditem 462 because selecting item 448 would enable the customer to exceedthe twenty dollar minimum price limit for the merchant at the lowestcost. Moreover, items 448, 458 are ranked above item 462 because theitems 448, 458 are complementary to the item previously selected by thecustomer (e.g., the items 448, 458 may be used in connection with theitem previously selected by the customer), while the item 462 isentirely unrelated to the item previously selected by the customer.

Likewise, items 466, 454 are also offered for sale by the merchant, buthave prices that are below $8.01. As is shown in FIG. 4B, item 466 isranked above item 454, despite the fact that item 454 is a complement tothe item previously selected by the customer and item 466 is not acomplement to the item previously selected by the customer, because theprice of item 466 is closest to the $8.01 difference between the priceof the item previously selected by the customer and the twenty dollarminimum price limit for the merchant. Following the items 448, 458, 462,466, 454 in the list 435 are items 446, 442, 450, 452, 444, 456, 460,440, 464, 468, which are offered by merchants other than the merchant,and would thus not, if selected, aid in meeting or exceeding the twentydollar minimum price limit for the merchant.

As is discussed above, the systems and methods of the present disclosuremay be used to rank search results with regard to any extrinsic factors,including whether selections of such search results would meet orexceed, or even approach, a previously determined requirement, includingtwo or more requirements that are independently set. Referring to FIG.5, a flow chart 500 representing one process for ranking search resultsor recommendations in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure is shown.

At box 510, a marketplace offers items from a plurality of merchants tocustomers, e.g., via one or more web pages accessible to or applicationsoperable on one or more computing devices. At box 520, a customerselects items that are offered at the marketplace by two merchants,Merchant A and Merchant B, each of which may be any entity that owns,controls, possesses or has access to such items. At box 525, themarketplace determines that there are unmet requirements of each ofMerchant A and Merchant B, e.g., that the customer has yet to satisfy aminimum price threshold, a minimum number of items, or any other limit,restriction, constraint, prerequisite or other requirement establishedby Merchant A and Merchant B.

At box 530, the customer provides a search query to the onlinemarketplace, e.g., by entering a keyword into a text box provided at aweb site or shopping application, or by selecting a keywordcorresponding to a category, and at box 540, the marketplace identifiesitems that are offered at the online marketplace in response to thesearch query. The items may be identified based on their relationshipwith the search query, based on one or more preferences of the customeror like customers, or on any other factor.

At box 550, the marketplace determines whether any of the itemsidentified at box 540 would meet or exceed an unmet requirementassociated with either Merchant A or Merchant B. For example, where amerchant assesses a surcharge or other fee when an aggregate cost of theitems ordered by the customer is less than a predetermined minimum cost,the marketplace will determine whether any the items identified inresponse to the search query are offered by the merchant and, if so, thecosts of such items. The number of the items offered by the merchantwhich would, if selected by the customer, cause the aggregate cost toexceed the predetermined minimum cost may be determined. At box 555, themarketplace determines whether any of the items identified based on thesearch query would approach an unmet requirement associated with eitherMerchant A or Merchant B. The number of the items offered by themerchant which would not individually, if selected by the customer,exceed the predetermined minimum cost may be determined.

At box 560, the marketplace preferentially ranks the items that wouldcause the unmet requirements of either Merchant A or Merchant B to bemet or exceeded first. For example, for any items identified at box 550,e.g., items identified in response to the search query offered by themerchant which would, if selected by the customer, cause an aggregatecost of the items ordered by the customer to exceed a minimum pricethreshold set by the merchant, such items may be ranked highest amongall of the items identified at box 540. At box 562, the marketplacepreferentially ranks the items that would approach one or more of theunmet requirements of either Merchant A or Merchant B second. Forexample, for any items identified in response to the search queryoffered by the merchant which would approach, but not meet or exceed,the minimum price threshold set by the merchant, such items may beranked next-highest, e.g., immediately following the items which wouldmeet or exceed the minimum price threshold set by the merchant, amongall of the items identified at box 540.

At box 564, the marketplace ranks the items identified in response tothe search query that are offered by merchants other than Merchant A orMerchant B are preferentially ranked next, e.g., immediately followingthe items which would approach the minimum price threshold set by themerchant, among all of the items identified at box 540. For example, inorder to encourage customers to purchase items which would meet orexceed, or approach, a relevant threshold established by a merchant fromwhich the customers have already selected items, the marketplace mayrank such items higher, even if the items may be identified at lowercosts from other merchants, or if other items that are more closelyrelated to the search query have been identified. At box 570, themarketplace displays a list of the preferentially ranked items to thecustomer, e.g., with the items identified at box 560 ranked first,followed by the items identified at box 562, and the items identified atbox 564, and the process ends.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, another example of the preferentialranking of items in response to a search query received from a customerbased on requirements established by a source of one or more other itemsselected by the customer is shown. As is shown in FIG. 6A, a customerhas selected items from two merchants (viz., Merchant 1 and Merchant 2),including three-quarter inch wide clear tape valued at $1.99 and threerolls of wrapping paper for boys' gifts valued at $12.25, or a totalvalue of $14.24, from Merchant 1, and four ounces of clear glue valuedat $2.99 and forty to/from shipping labels valued at $3.49, or a totalvalue of $6.48, from Merchant 2. Additionally, Merchant 1 has imposed arequirement that customers must purchase a minimum of three itemstotaling at least twenty dollars ($20) in value, while Merchant 2 hasimposed a requirement that customers must purchase a minimum of fouritems totaling at least fifteen dollars ($15) in value. Thus, as isshown in FIG. 6A, the systems and methods of the present disclosure mayeffectively open and track different virtual shopping carts for Merchant1 and Merchant 2, each of which may be subject to different requirementsrespectively imposed by Merchant 1 or Merchant 2, and monitor theaddition of items to or the removal of items from the virtual shoppingcarts, as well as whether an item would, if added to one of the virtualshopping carts, satisfy a requirement imposed by one of the merchants.

As is also shown in FIG. 6A, after having selected the items fromMerchant 1 and Merchant 2, and added such items to a virtual shoppingcart, the customer has provided a search query (viz., “mailingenvelope”) to the online marketplace, and a raw list 630 of items 640,642, 644, 646, 650, 652, 654, 656, 660, 662, 664, 666 is identifiedbased on the search query. The list 630 includes items offered by aplurality of merchants (viz., Merchant 1, Merchant 2 and Merchant 3),and the items are ranked based on their relation to the search query,and to the items previously selected by the customer.

As is discussed above, in accordance with the present disclosure, listsof items identified at the request of a customer, such as the list 630,may be preferentially ranked based on not only their relevance to asearch query provided by a customer, or to the preferences of thecustomer or like customers, but also their relationship with sources ofitems previously selected by the customer, such as Merchant 1 andMerchant 2, or with regard to one or more other extrinsic factors.Referring to FIG. 6B, a preferentially ranked list 635 of the items 640,642, 644, 646, 650, 652, 654, 656, 660, 662, 664, 666 included in theraw list 630 of FIG. 6A is shown.

As is shown in FIG. 6B, the eight items 660, 650, 652, 662, 654, 664,644, 666 that are also offered for sale by the merchants from which thecustomer has previously selected items, or Merchant 1 and Merchant 2,are ranked highest in the list 635. In particular, because the customermust select at least two items offered by Merchant 2 having an aggregatevalue of at least $8.52, viz., a difference between the prices of theclear glue and the shipping labels selected from Merchant 2, and thefifteen dollar minimum price, in order to satisfy the requirementsimposed by Merchant 2, the two items 660, 650 offered by Merchant 2which would satisfy the requirements at the lowest aggregate cost, viz.,$12.56, are ranked highest in the list 635. Next, because the customermust select at least one item offered by Merchant 1 having an aggregatevalue of at least $5.76, viz., a difference between the prices of theclear tape and the wrapping paper and the twenty dollar minimum price,in order to satisfy the requirement imposed by Merchant 1, the two items652, 662 which would satisfy the requirement are ranked next, behind theitems 660, 650.

Thereafter, two items 654, 664 that are offered by Merchant 2 and would,if selected, exceed the requirements imposed by Merchant 2, but at asubstantial cost, are shown next in the list 635. Additionally, items644, 666, which are offered by Merchant 1, but which would not, ifselected, satisfy the requirements imposed by Merchant 1, are shown nextin the list 635. Finally, items 656, 646, 640, 642, which are offered byMerchant 3 and cannot, therefore, assist in satisfying either of therequirements imposed by Merchant 1 or Merchant 2, are shown at the endof the list 635.

Accordingly, the systems and methods may preferentially display, inresponse to a search query, items offered by a merchant which relate tothe search query and would cause an order to meet or exceed one or morerequirements established by the merchant that were previously selectedby a customer, or would cause the order to approach the one or morerequirements, above items offered by other merchants. In this regard, acustomer viewing the items displayed in response to the search query maybe more likely to select one or more of the items that would cause theorder to meet or exceed, or approach, the one or more requirementsestablished by the merchant.

Additionally, although the items 448, 458, 462, 466, 454 shown in thelist 435 of FIG. 4B or the items 660, 650, 652, 662, 654, 664, 644, 666shown in the list 635 of FIG. 6B are preferentially displayed to thecustomer by virtue of their position in such lists 435, 635, those ofordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that items which, ifselected, would cause an order to meet or exceed, or approach, one ormore requirements of a merchant may be emphasized in any manner inaccordance with the present disclosure. For example, such items may beshown in bold face, distinct colors or fonts of different (e.g., larger)sizes, while items which would neither cause the order to meet or exceednor cause the order to approach the one or more requirements of amerchant may be shown in standard face, nondescript colors or normal ortraditional (e.g., normal or smaller) sizes. One or more particularsearch results may be emphasized or deemphasized, as necessary, withrespect to one or more other search results in accordance with thepresent disclosure. Where items are preferentially displayed withdifferent fonts, colors, sizes or other emphases, the orders of thelists of items identified in response to a search query or the lists ofrecommended items, e.g., the lists 430, 630 of FIGS. 4A and 6A, may alsobe adjusted, but need not be adjusted.

Additionally, those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts willrecognize that some embodiments of the systems and methods disclosedherein may preferentially display not only search results orrecommendations which, if selected, would meet or exceed a requirementimposed by a source of one or more items previously selected by a userbut also search results or recommendations for which all relevantrequirements imposed by sources of such items have already been met orexceeded. In this regard, the systems and methods disclosed herein may,by virtue of the manner in which such items are displayed, encourage acustomer to not only meet or exceed such requirements but also avoidexposing himself or herself to additional requirements by the selectionof items provided by other sources.

Referring to FIG. 7, a flow chart 700 representing one process forranking search results or recommendations in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure is shown. At box 710, a marketplace offersitems from a plurality of merchants to customers, e.g., via one or moreweb pages accessible to or applications operable on one or morecomputing devices. At box 720, a customer selects items that are offeredat the marketplace by two merchants, Merchant A and Merchant B, each ofwhich may be any entity that owns, controls, possesses or has access tosuch items. At box 722, the marketplace determines that the customerselections meet or exceed requirements associated with Merchant A, whileat box 724, the marketplace determines that the customer selections donot meet or exceed requirements associated with Merchant B. For example,the items selected at box 720 that are offered by Merchant A may exceeda minimum number or price threshold set forth by Merchant A, while theitems selected at box 720 that are offered by Merchant B may fall shortof a minimum number or price threshold set forth by Merchant B.

At box 730, the marketplace identifies recommended items that areoffered at the online marketplace based on one or more of the customerselections and/or attributes of the customer or of like customers. Theitems may be identified based on their relationship with items selectedby the customer, or items previously purchased by the customer, on oneor more preferences of the customer or like customers, or on any otherfactor.

At box 740, the marketplace determines whether any of the recommendeditems identified at box 730 would meet or exceed the unmet requirementsof Merchant B. For example, where the customer has previously selecteditems provided by a merchant which have an aggregate cost of $50, andthe merchant has imposed a minimum order limit of $75 that must be metor exceeded in order to avoid a surcharge or other fee, the marketplacedetermines whether any of the recommended items are offered by themerchant that imposed the $75 minimum order limit and have a minimumcost of $25, such that a selection of one or more of the recommendeditems would cause the minimum order limit to be exceeded. At box 750,the marketplace identifies recommended items offered by Merchant A,e.g., the merchant for which the requirements were determined to havebeen met at box 722.

At box 760, the marketplace preferentially ranks the recommended itemsthat would cause the unmet requirements of Merchant B to be met orexceeded first. For example, any recommended items offered by Merchant Bwhich would, if selected by the customer, cause an aggregate cost of theitems ordered by the customer from Merchant B to exceed a minimum pricethreshold set by Merchant B may be ranked highest among all of therecommended items identified at box 730. At box 762, the marketplacepreferentially ranks any recommended items offered by Merchant A second.For example, any recommended items identified at box 730 that wereoffered by Merchant A, for which the requirements were determined tohave been met at box 722, may be ranked next-highest, e.g., immediatelyfollowing the recommended items which would meet or exceed therequirements of Merchant B, among all of the recommended itemsidentified at box 730.

At box 764, the marketplace preferentially ranks the recommended itemsidentified at box 730 that are offered by merchants other than MerchantA or Merchant B next, e.g., immediately following the recommended itemsoffered by Merchant A, among all of the recommended items identified atbox 730. For example, in order to encourage customers to purchase itemswhich would meet or exceed, or approach, the requirements established byMerchant B, and to also encourage such customers to avoid beingsubjected to requirements of other merchants, the marketplace may rankrecommended items offered by Merchant A and Merchant B higher thanrecommended items offered by other merchants, even if the recommendeditems offered by Merchant A and Merchant B may be identified at lowercosts from other merchants, or if other recommended items are moreclosely related to the items previously selected or purchased by thecustomer, or to one or more attributes of the customer or likecustomers. At box 770, the marketplace displays a list of thepreferentially ranked recommended items to the customer, e.g., with therecommended items identified at box 760 ranked first, followed by therecommended items identified at box 762, and the recommended itemsidentified at box 764, and the process ends.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will further recognizethat some embodiments of the systems and methods disclosed herein mayalso evaluate the contents of a customer's virtual shopping cart at anonline marketplace on an ongoing basis, with respect to requirementsimposed by merchants who made such items available at the onlinemarketplace. For example, where a customer selects one item that is madeavailable by one merchant, and then selects another item that is madeavailable by another merchant, the customer may be prompted to purchaseboth of the items from the same merchant, if that merchant has access toboth of the items, and if purchasing both of the items together fromthat merchant would satisfy one or more requirements imposed by thatmerchant.

Referring to FIG. 8, a flow chart 800 representing one process forranking search results or recommendations in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure is shown. At box 810, a marketplace offersitems from a plurality of merchants to customers, e.g., via one or moreweb pages accessible to or applications operable on one or morecomputing devices. At box 815, a customer selects a first item offeredat the marketplace by Merchant A. At box 820, the customer provides asearch query to the marketplace, and at box 825, the marketplaceidentifies items that are offered at the marketplace in response to thesearch query. For example, the items identified in response to thesearch query may relate directly to the search query, and indirectly tothe customer or to one or more other items selected by the customer.

At box 830, the marketplace preferentially ranks items offered byMerchant A that were identified in response to the query first, and atbox 835, the marketplace preferentially ranks items that were offered bymerchants other than Merchant A next. For example, as is discussedabove, preferentially ranking items that are offered by merchants fromwhom the customer has already selected one or more items may encouragethe customer to meet or exceed, or approach, requirements that have notbeen met, or to remain above such requirements, while avoidingsubjecting the customer to one or more other requirements that may beimposed by other merchants.

At box 840, the marketplace displays a list of the preferentially rankeditems to the customer, and at box 845, the customer selects a seconditem offered by a Merchant B from the list of the preferentially rankeditems. Subsequently, the marketplace determines, at box 850, whether thesecond item meets or exceeds a requirement of Merchant B. For example,if Merchant B has imposed a minimum cost threshold that must be met inorder to purchase items from Merchant B via the online marketplace, orto avoid paying a surcharge on such a purchase, whether the price of thesecond item exceeds the minimum cost threshold may be determined. If theprice of the second item exceeds the minimum cost threshold, then theprocess ends.

If the price of the second item does not exceed the minimum costthreshold, then the process advances to box 855, where it is determinedwhether Merchant B also offers the first item selected at box 815. IfMerchant B does not offer the first item, then the process ends. IfMerchant B does offer the first item, however, then the process advancesto box 860, where it is determined whether a combination of the firstitem and the second item would, if purchased together from Merchant B,exceed the requirement of Merchant B. If the combination of the firstitem and the second item would not meet or exceed the requirement ofMerchant B, then the process ends.

If, however, the combination of the first item and the second item wouldexceed the requirement of Merchant B, e.g., if the aggregate cost of thefirst item and the second item exceeds a minimum cost threshold imposedby Merchant B, then the process advances to box 870, where themarketplace recommends substituting a first item from Merchant B for thefirst item from Merchant A that was selected at box 815, and the processends. For example, where purchasing the first item and the second itemtogether from Merchant B would satisfy the requirement imposed byMerchant B, then a window, a box or a prompt may be displayed to thecustomer. The recommendation may identify any relevant informationregarding the first item, or a substitute for the first item, that maybe obtained from Merchant B. For example, where the first item selectedas offered by Merchant A is a package of single-cell 1.5 volt AAbatteries, the same package of batteries, or a fungible or equivalentpackage of batteries (e.g., AA batteries obtained by Merchant B from adifferent manufacturer or other source) may be recommended to thecustomer for purchase from Merchant B.

Alternatively, those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts willrecognize that the determinations of whether attributes of the seconditem satisfy the requirements of Merchant B, whether Merchant B offersthe first item, and whether the combination of the first item and thesecond item would, if purchased together from Merchant B, satisfy therequirements of Merchant B at boxes 855, 860 and 870 may also be madewith regard to Merchant A. For example, upon the selection of the seconditem offered by Merchant B at box 845, some embodiments of the presentdisclosure may determine whether the second item is also offered byMerchant A, and whether the combination of the first item and the seconditem would, if purchased together from Merchant A, satisfy therequirements of Merchant A.

A recommendation to substitute one item offered by one merchant foranother item offered by a different merchant in order to satisfy arequirement imposed by one or more of the merchants may be made in anymanner. Referring to FIGS. 9A through 9E, views of one system forranking search results or recommendations in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure are shown. Except where otherwise noted,reference numerals preceded by the number “9” shown in FIGS. 9A through9E indicate components or features that are similar to components orfeatures having reference numerals preceded by the number “2” shown inFIG. 2, or by the number “1” shown in FIGS. 1A through 1E.

As is shown in FIG. 9A, a customer may place an order for a plurality ofitems via a web page 916 (or shopping application) associated with anonline marketplace (not shown) using a smartphone 972 or other networkedcomputer device. As is shown in FIG. 9A, the customer may provide asearch query 902A (viz., “sneakers”) to the web page 916, and the searchquery 902A may be provided from the smartphone 972 to the onlinemarketplace (not shown) via one or more wired or wireless connections toa network, such as the Internet. As is shown in FIG. 9B, upon receivingthe search query 902A, the online marketplace may return a list of items925A-4, 925A-3, 925A-1, 925A-2 identifying items which pertain to thesearch query 902A that are available via the online marketplace from oneor more merchants (not shown), and a list of the items 925A-4, 925A-3,925A-1, 925A-2 may be displayed on the smartphone 972. The items 925A-4,925A-3, 925A-1, 925A-2 are typically ranked based on their respectiverelevance to the search query 902A, a preference of the customer or oneor more like customers, or a combination of the relevance of the items925A-4, 925A-3, 925A-1, 925A-2 to the search query 902A and one or morepreferences of the customer or like customers.

Referring to FIGS. 9C and 9D, after the customer selects one or more ofthe items 925A-4, 925A-3, 925A-1, 925A-2 (viz., the item 925A-3), anitem associated with the selected item 925A-3 is added to the virtualshopping cart, and the customer may continue to search for additionalitems based on one or more other search queries. As is shown in FIG. 9C,the customer may enter a search query 902C (viz., “socks”) at the webpage 916, which has been updated to reflect an addition of an itemassociated with the item 925A-3 to the virtual shopping cart. The searchquery 902C may then be provided from the smartphone 972 to the onlinemarketplace (not shown). As is shown in FIG. 9D, upon receiving thesearch query 902C, the online marketplace may return a list of items925C-3, 925-C-1, 925C-4, 925C-2 pertaining to the query 902C. The items925C-3, 925-C-1, 925C-4, 925C-2 may be ranked in an order whichpreferentially includes the item 925C-3, which is made available by thesame merchant who made the item 925A-3 available at the marketplace,ranked highest among the items 925C-3, 925-C-1, 925C-4, 925C-2.

When the customer selects the item 925C-4, which is made available atthe online marketplace from a merchant other than the merchantassociated with the item 925A-3 that was selected in FIG. 9B, thecustomer may be prompted to substitute the item 925A-3 for another itemoffered by that merchant. As is shown in FIG. 9E, a window 906 or otherfeature may be displayed above or within the web page 916, prompting thecustomer to substitute an item offered by the merchant that offered theselected item 925C-4 for the selected item 925A-3. Alternatively, thewindow 906 or other feature may prompt the customer to substitute anitem offered by the merchant that offered the selected item 925A-3 forthe selected item 925C-4. For example, such a window may act as asupplemental means for prompting a customer to ensure that a requirementof a merchant may be met or exceeded. For example, if the customeroverlooked or otherwise opted not to select an item preferentiallyranked within a list, a window, such as the window 906 of FIG. 9E, mayprompt the customer to again consider choosing one or more items thatmay meet or exceed a requirement of a merchant that offered another ofthe items previously selected by the customer.

Although the disclosure has been described herein using exemplarytechniques, components, and/or processes for implementing the presentdisclosure, it should be understood by those skilled in the art thatother techniques, components, and/or processes or other combinations andsequences of the techniques, components, and/or processes describedherein may be used or performed that achieve the same function(s) and/orresult(s) described herein and which are included within the scope ofthe present disclosure. For example, although some of the embodiments ofthe present disclosure are shown as ranking search results orrecommendations in response to search queries for short-term deliveryorders received by an online marketplace, the systems and methodsdisclosed herein are not so limited, and may be used to preferentiallyrank search results in response to any type or form of search queryprovided to any type or form of search engine.

Furthermore, the requirements of merchants or other sources of itemsneed not relate to thresholds of minimum prices or numbers of items. Forexample, where a customer enters a search query for airline tickets to agiven destination to a marketplace or online travel agency operated byone or more airlines, routes or tickets which would maximize a number ofairline rewards points granted to the customer may be rankedpreferentially higher than other routes or tickets to the samedestination. Additionally, the requirements disclosed herein may be anytype or form of limits, restrictions, constraints, prerequisites orother requirements in order to proceed with a given transaction. Forexample, a requirement may be insurmountable in nature, such that afailure to meet or exceed the requirement voids or cancels atransaction, or the requirement may be associated with a surcharge oftime or money.

Those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arts will recognize that searchresults may be emphasized within a list by any means in accordance withthe present disclosure, including not only the order of the respectivesearch results but also the font, size or manner in which the searchresults are displayed, which may preferentially incentivize ordisincentivize selections of items which would, or would not, satisfy agiven requirement. Likewise, although some of the embodiments describedherein result in the display of search results following the entry of atext-based keyword into a text box or other aspect of a search engineassociated with an online marketplace, those of ordinary skill in thepertinent arts will recognize that the display of such results may becaused in any manner, including but not limited to a selection of akeyword in a list or from a drop-down menu.

It should be understood that, unless otherwise explicitly or implicitlyindicated herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives ormodifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein mayalso be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodimentdescribed herein, and that the drawings and detailed description of thepresent disclosure are intended to cover all modifications, equivalentsand alternatives to the various embodiments as defined by the appendedclaims. Moreover, with respect to the one or more methods or processesof the present disclosure described herein, including but not limited tothe flow charts shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 7 and 8, the order in which theboxes or steps of the methods or processes are listed is not intended tobe construed as a limitation on the claimed inventions, and any numberof the boxes or steps can be combined in any order and/or in parallel toimplement the methods or processes described herein. Also, the drawingsherein are not drawn to scale, and do not limit, in any way, the number,type or style of search results that may be ranked in accordance withthe present disclosure, or the computer devices, systems or networks bywhich such results may be provided.

Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or“may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understoodwithin the context as used, is generally intended to convey in apermissive manner that certain embodiments could include, or have thepotential to include, but do not mandate or require, certain features,elements and/or boxes or steps. In a similar manner, terms such as“include,” “including” and “includes” are generally intended to mean“including, but not limited to.” Thus, such conditional language is notgenerally intended to imply that features, elements and/or boxes orsteps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one ormore embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or withoutuser input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or boxesor steps are included or are to be performed in any particularembodiment.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various otheradditions and omissions may be made therein and thereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method comprising:receiving, by at least one computer server associated with an onlinemarketplace, information regarding a first search query from a computerdevice associated with a customer over at least one network via at leasta first user interface, wherein the first user interface is rendered ona display of the computer device, and wherein the first user interfaceis associated with one of a network site of the online marketplace or adedicated shopping application of the online marketplace executed by thecomputer device; identifying, by the at least one computer server, afirst plurality of items based at least in part on the first searchquery; transmitting, by the at least one computer server, code forrendering a display of at least a second user interface on the displayto the computer device over the at least one network, wherein the seconduser interface comprises information regarding at least some of thefirst plurality of items; receiving, by the at least one computerserver, information regarding a selection of a first item from thecomputer device over the at least one network via the second userinterface, wherein the first item is one of the at least some of thefirst plurality of items; identifying, by the at least one computerserver, a first source of the first item; identifying, by the at leastone computer server, a first requirement associated with the firstsource; receiving, by the at least one computer server, informationregarding a second search query from the computer device over the atleast one network via the second user interface; identifying, by the atleast one computer server, a second plurality of items based at least inpart on the second search query; defining, by the at least one computerserver, a ranking of the second plurality of items based at least inpart on the first requirement; and transmitting, by the at least onecomputer server, code for rendering a display of at least a third userinterface on the display to the computer device over the at least onenetwork, wherein the third user interface comprises informationregarding at least some of the second plurality of items displayedaccording to the ranking of the second plurality of items.
 2. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the codefor rendering the display of at least the second user interfacecomprises: identifying, by the at least one computer server, informationregarding the customer; and defining, by the at least one computerserver, a ranking of the first plurality of items based at least in parton the information regarding the customer, wherein the second userinterface comprises information regarding at least some of the firstplurality of items displayed according to the ranking of the firstplurality of items.
 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,further comprising: identifying, by the at least one computer server,information regarding the customer, wherein the ranking of the secondplurality of items is defined based at least in part on the informationregarding the customer and at least one of the first source of the firstitem or the first requirement associated with the first source.
 4. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first requirement isa first minimum cost threshold for items purchased from the firstsource, and wherein identifying the first requirement associated withthe first source further comprises: determining, by the at least onecomputer server, a first cost of the first item; and determining, by theat least one computer server, that the first cost of the first item isless than the first minimum cost threshold.
 5. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 4, further comprising: in response to determining thatthe first cost is less than the first minimum cost threshold,determining, by the at least one computer server, a difference betweenthe first minimum cost threshold and the first cost; identifying, by theat least one computer server, a second item having a second cost,wherein the second item is one of the at least some of the secondplurality of items, wherein a second source of the second item is thefirst source, and wherein the second cost is not less than thedifference between the first minimum cost threshold and the first cost;and placing, by the at least one computer server, the second item abovea third item in the ranking of the second plurality of items, whereinthe third item is one of the at least some of the second plurality ofitems, and wherein a third source of the third item is not the firstsource.
 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, furthercomprising: identifying, by the at least one computer server, a secondrequirement associated with the third source, wherein the secondrequirement is a third minimum cost threshold for items purchased fromthe third source; in response to determining that the first cost is lessthan the first minimum cost threshold, determining, by the at least onecomputer server, a third cost of the third item; determining, by the atleast one computer server, that the third cost of the third item is lessthan the third minimum cost threshold; and in response to determiningthat the third cost is less than the third minimum cost threshold,defining, by the at least one computer server, the ranking of the secondplurality of items based at least in part on the first requirement andthe second requirement.
 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6,further comprising: determining, by the at least one computer server, adifference between the third minimum cost threshold and the third cost;identifying, by the at least one computer server, a fourth item having afourth cost, wherein the fourth item is one of the at least some of thesecond plurality of items, wherein a fourth source of the fourth item isthe first source, and wherein the fourth cost is less than thedifference between the first minimum cost threshold and the first cost;determining, by the at least one computer server, a difference betweenthe fourth cost and the difference between the first minimum costthreshold and the first cost; determining, by the at least one computerserver, that the difference between the third minimum cost threshold andthe third cost is less than the difference between the fourth cost andthe difference between the first minimum cost threshold and the firstcost; and in response to determining that the difference between thethird minimum cost threshold and the third cost is less than thedifference between the fourth cost and the difference between the firstminimum cost threshold and the first cost, placing, by the at least onecomputer server, the third item above the fourth item in the ranking ofthe second plurality of items.
 8. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 6, further comprising: identifying, by the at least one computerserver, a fourth item having a fourth cost, wherein the fourth item isone of the at least some of the second plurality of items, wherein afourth source of the fourth item is the third source, and wherein thefourth cost is not less than the third minimum cost threshold; andplacing, by the at least one computer server, the fourth item below thesecond item and above the third item in the ranking of the secondplurality of items.
 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 4,further comprising: identifying, by the at least one computer server,information regarding a third item selected by the customer of theonline marketplace; identifying, by the at least one computer server, athird source of the third item based at least in part on the informationregarding the third item, wherein the third source of the third item isnot the first source; identifying, by the at least one computer server,a second requirement associated with the third source; in response todetermining that the first cost is less than the first minimum costthreshold, determining, by the at least one computer server, that thesecond requirement has been met; and in response to determining that thesecond requirement has been met, defining, by the at least one computerserver, the ranking of the second plurality of items based at least inpart on the first requirement and the second requirement.
 10. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising: determining,by the at least one computer server, a difference between the firstminimum cost threshold and the first cost; identifying, by the at leastone computer server, a fourth item having a fourth cost, wherein thefourth item is one of the at least some of the second plurality ofitems, wherein a fourth source of the fourth item is the first source,and wherein the fourth cost is not less than the difference between thefirst minimum cost threshold and the first cost; identifying, by the atleast one computer server, a fifth item, wherein the fifth item is oneof the at least some of the second plurality of items, and wherein afifth source of the fifth item is the third source; placing, by the atleast one computer server, the fourth item above the fifth item in theranking of the second plurality of items; and placing, by the at leastone computer server, the fifth item above a sixth item in the ranking ofthe second plurality of items, wherein a sixth source of the sixth itemis not the first source or the third source.
 11. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving,by the at least one computer server, information regarding a selectionof a second item from the computer device over the at least one networkvia the third user interface, wherein the second item is one of the atleast some of the second plurality of items; determining, by the atleast one computer server, a second cost of the second item;identifying, by the at least one computer server, a second source of thesecond item; identifying, by the at least one computer server, a secondrequirement associated with the second source, wherein the secondrequirement is a second minimum cost threshold for items purchased fromthe second source; determining, by the at least one computer server,that the second cost of the second item is less than the second minimumcost threshold; in response to determining that the second cost of thesecond item is less than the second minimum cost threshold, determining,by the at least one computer server, an aggregate cost of the first itemand the second item; determining, by the at least one computer server,that the aggregate cost of the first item and the second item is lessthan the second minimum cost threshold; in response to determining thatthe aggregate cost of the first item and the second item is not lessthan the second minimum cost threshold, determining, by the at least onecomputer server, that the first item is available from the secondsource; and in response to determining that the first item is availablefrom the second source, offering, by the at least one computer server,the first item to the customer from the second source.
 12. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving theinformation regarding the second search query from the computer deviceover the at least one network via the second user interface furthercomprises: receiving, by the at least one computer server, informationregarding at least one of a second keyword or a selection of a secondcategory from the computer device over the at least one network via thesecond user interface, wherein the information regarding the secondsearch query comprises at least one of the second keyword or the secondcategory.
 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein theat least one of the second keyword or the selection of the secondcategory is received via an interaction with a touchscreen of a mobiledevice having the second user interface rendered thereon.